Before I get some sleep, I just wanted to note that my brother is almost done with his second week on the job, and the first week in the field. He is seeing firsthand what it is like when important supplies needed as part of the job, such as the machine bases, are not delivered as scheduled. Dave told me today that he feels like he isn't earning his money. I had a little meeting today. I can't go into all of that, of course, but suffice it to say that when my boss asked how the rookie is doing, I told him about how Dave feels like he isn't earning his pay this week so far. My boss just said, "Not to worry... it will get really busy again soon, and then I am calling in that I O U." Then, he will feel like the company is getting its money's worth out of him.
That is how it works in this business. Sometimes you work like crazy, until you are so tired you can hardly concentrate, taking service calls on your days off, and providing telephone support at 3 o'clock in the morning. Then, there are days when you spend hours driving, and very little time doing difficult work in the field. Well, when my brother is knee-deep in the hoopla, troubleshooting a game with an ambiguous heat-related issue, with an assertion failure, or a brain box constantly rebooting, and he has tried every remedy he can think of, to no avail, he will definitely see the flip side of the coin. Sometimes, we don't work that hard for our money, and sometimes, the company reaps the rewards for investing in the techs, rewarding the company in spades. This is time for my brother to learn the ropes, including the hardware, the technical support aspects, the customer service expectations, the importance of face time, quality performance, and the basics of the business.
In no time, Dave will feel like a pro, and he will understand what I mean. By then, he will understand the difference between the days when you are the windshield, and the days that you are the bug. So far, he is the windshield, enjoying the gravy, but what happens tomorrow is anybody's guess. After two weeks of work, seeing not-so-demanding assignments, here is a question for my brother, the rookie in training: Dave, are you a betting man? If so, this is the right business for you (in more ways than one).
That is how it works in this business. Sometimes you work like crazy, until you are so tired you can hardly concentrate, taking service calls on your days off, and providing telephone support at 3 o'clock in the morning. Then, there are days when you spend hours driving, and very little time doing difficult work in the field. Well, when my brother is knee-deep in the hoopla, troubleshooting a game with an ambiguous heat-related issue, with an assertion failure, or a brain box constantly rebooting, and he has tried every remedy he can think of, to no avail, he will definitely see the flip side of the coin. Sometimes, we don't work that hard for our money, and sometimes, the company reaps the rewards for investing in the techs, rewarding the company in spades. This is time for my brother to learn the ropes, including the hardware, the technical support aspects, the customer service expectations, the importance of face time, quality performance, and the basics of the business.
In no time, Dave will feel like a pro, and he will understand what I mean. By then, he will understand the difference between the days when you are the windshield, and the days that you are the bug. So far, he is the windshield, enjoying the gravy, but what happens tomorrow is anybody's guess. After two weeks of work, seeing not-so-demanding assignments, here is a question for my brother, the rookie in training: Dave, are you a betting man? If so, this is the right business for you (in more ways than one).
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